Hi blog readers! Have you ever received a message from someone who claims to work for PCH? Maybe the message notified you that you won a big prize. Maybe it told you that you needed to pay money to claim that prize. Unfortunately, these messages are Publishers Clearing House scams! They are not from the real Publishers Clearing House. We’ve done a lot here on the blog to try to alert you to these PCH scams, but we thought it might be helpful to provide you with some excerpts from actual scams that were sent by fraudsters illegally using the PCH name, in order to dupe you.
Before we get started, here are few important things to remember: You NEVER have to pay to claim a PCH prize. Winners of our larger prize award amounts are surprised in person by the Prize Patrol, NOT sent messages on Facebook or emails like this. Publishers Clearing House scams often have MANY spelling and grammatical errors. Try to read them out loud … you’ll see how nonsensical they sound. An official PCH message would not be written like that!
Let’s get started!
This message is not from PCH, it is a PCH SCAM! How can you tell?
For starters, none of the above or these contest details are legitimate. If you were to ask a PCH employee about a “Super Bucks Giveaway,” we would be quick to tell you it does not exist. Also, we are in no way associated with the U.S. Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission. AND if you were to use PCHSearch&Win to research that supposed government authority, you would find that it does not even exist in the U.S.
This message is not from PCH, it is a PCH SCAM! How can you tell?
Again, the grammar is off in many places. Just a few examples: “you are been advised,” and “your fund remitted to your account”. Plus, take a look at how the prize amount is written: “$1.200,000.00”. There’s a decimal instead of a comma after the “1”.
This message is not from PCH, it is a PCH SCAM! How can you tell?
They repeated the “this is part of our security protocol” sentence TWICE within the same paragraph! Also, PCH never asks you to keep quiet about your winnings. Quite the opposite! We’re always proudly posting pictures and videos of our winners! But the scammers want you to stay quiet so they can get your money without the authorities finding out.
This message is not from PCH, it is a PCH SCAM! How can you tell?
It’s easy! This message contains the BIGGEST red flag — it asks you to pay money to claim your prize. Remember: you NEVER have to pay or make any purchase to claim a prize from Publishers Clearing House. Also, if you ever hear/see the words “GREEN DOT MONEY PAK CARD” in a message from someone claiming to be from Publishers Clearing House, head for the hills! The scammers will take the account numbers from this card, cash the money you spent on it, and never award you the prize, because there never was a real prize — they are scammers.
There you have it folks. These are just a few ways you can spot PCH scams! As always, you should always verify the information in any winner notification you may receive before making any risky moves. And if you ever have any questions, let us know!
Stay safe everyone!
Laura Wolfe @ PCH
I had a scammer, claiming they are from PCH. Asking me to send $499.00 for processing fee. For a 2.5 million dollar prize. Thinking that this does sound strange. I didn’t send it thank goodness, and I’m glad I did a little research to find out if this was true. Come to find out it’s not true since I have to pay up front for a prize.
Thank you, Laura.
Hello Annie, We’re so happy that you knew that wasn’t the real PCH who contacted you. We will never ask for money to claim a prize. We also don’t notify winners via phone, standard mail, email, or social media. Please report all scam contacts to PCH via this link: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. We appreciate hearing from you and look forward to hearing from you in the future, stay safe everyone!
May 06, 2023, I received a phone call from John Goodman (on my Home Phone and Cell Phone )(Several times). John did not speak very good English. He said that I have won a Mercedes and $7,000.00 a week. and I needed go and purchase a $395.00 gift card, he would stay on the phone the hold time. I told him that I have a previous engagement, I should call him when. I get back. He called me late 5/06/2023 and several times today and the last times were Green Bay, WI. 09:05, 09:06, 09: 07, 09:08, 09:15, 09:21 PM 05/07/2023, I let my answering machine pickup. The more he talked he kept saying $7 million.
Hi Gene! That is not the real PCH calling you; it’s a scammer that’s only pretending to be from PCH. Please do not call that number, do not give the scammer any personal info including bank account information, and definitely do not send them any money if they ask. Make sure to report that scam contact to us via the following link: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. I encourage you to read these Safety Tips too: https://info.pch.com/fraud-protection. Stay safe!
The call came from Oxon Hil, MD; said I had to go get 2 Vanilla gift cards and stay on the line so he could meet me to get them. He listed about ten places where I could get one. That was definitely something that wasn’t right so I went online and called Publishing Clearing House and read about the scams that were going on. Thank you for posting that scams were out there.
Hi Nancy! Please report all contacts from scammers to PCH via this link: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. PCH does partner with the Federal Trade Commission and we send all scam reports to them so please make sure you let us know anytime a scammer contacts you. Remember, the real PCH never notifies major prize winners via phone, standard mail, email, or social media, and we never ask winners to pay to claim their prize. You can see more Safety Tips here: https://bit.ly/FraudProtection2. Please be careful everyone; don’t become a scammer’s victim.
This happening to me and my husband right now, they call me 11 times today asking for money and to go get a green dot card for $500 dollars. I told them we know you are trying to
scam us. They called me from the same number, I got their phone number.
Hi Emma! Please report all contacts from scammers to PCH via this link: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. PCH does partner with the Federal Trade Commission and we send all scam reports to them so please make sure you let us know anytime a scammer contacts you. Remember, the real PCH never notifies major prize winners via phone, standard mail, email, or social media, and we never ask winners to pay to claim their prize. You can see more Safety Tips here: https://info.pch.com/fraud-protection. Stay safe!
Thank you so much for this info, my 74 yr. old mother and myself, almost got scammed today. We traveled to 7 different places looking for a certain card we were to put money on to pay a fee, thank god we couldn’t find the card, he made it sound so legit… shame on people like that.😠
Hi Eva! We’re very sorry the scammers are bothering you and your mother. Please report all contacts from scammers to PCH via this link: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. PCH does partner with the Federal Trade Commission and we send all scam reports to them so please make sure you let us know anytime a scammer contacts you. Remember, the real PCH never notifies major prize winners via phone, standard mail, email, or social media, and we never ask winners to pay to claim their prize. You can see more Safety Tips here: https://info.pch.com/fraud-protection. Stay safe!
Is there a real Robert F$$$$$$ or John D$$$$ with Publishers Clearing House? I have phone #s and a gmail address…. claiming I won $ 800,000, 000….???
Hi Danny! I’m sorry to tell you those are scammers, not the real PCH. It’s important to remember that PCH does not contact winners of a major prize via phone, text, email, mail, or on Social Media. Also, if anyone asks you for money for any reason to claim a prize, you can be sure they’re a scammer. Please don’t give them any money, or any personal information! Scammers are very sneaky and will use our good name and reputation to try to deceive people. Stopping them is a team effort so please report any and all scam contacts you receive to PCH at this link: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. We provide numerous videos, blogs, and tips to recognize these scammers here: https://info.pch.com/fraud-protection. Stay safe!
The Scamer said he is Dave Sayer from Publisher clearing hose. had all the paper work sent to me it looks real.
Hello Sharlene, That is a scammer pretending to be Dave Sayer- not the real Dave Sayer! The real Prize Patrol never sends friend requests, winner notifications or private messages on Facebook and you never need to pay to claim a prize. Please report this scam to us by completing a scam incident report. Click this link to find out how: https://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. Please be safe.
I received a letter with a return address from $$$ N$$$$$$$$$ Street, Toronto On $$$ $$$. Inside was a check for $9,758.01 from V$$$$$$$$$$$$ bank in C$$$$$$$$$$$$ VA. In the left hand corner of check there is an address from Charlottesville, VA. $$$$$. The check looks very real and has a silver seal stating it is certified. It states my payment will be processed and must leave their office within three to 5 days. It says I can make deposit of your check through the ATM machine with your bank card or you walk inside the bank and make the deposit. Contact or inform your agent immediately after the deposit. Contact or inform your agent immediately after the deposit in order to start processing your winning. How do I know if this is a scam?
Hi Sally, that’s definitely a scam. It’s important to remember that PCH does not contact winners of a major prize via phone, text, email, mail, or on Social Media. Also, if anyone asks you for money for any reason to claim a prize, you can be sure they’re a scammer. Please don’t give them any money, or any personal information! You can report them to us at this link: https://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. We provide numerous videos, blogs, and tips to recognize these scammers here: https://info.pch.com/fraud-protection-2/. Stay safe!